Socket and reflector



Nov. 12, 1929. I RAYMOND 1,735,180

SOCKET AND REFLECTOR Filed Feb. 12. 1926 Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES LAMBERT L. RAYMOND, OF MINNEAPOLIS,'MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO BRODERICK-Q SON-RAYMONDFOQ, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA socxn'r AND nnrrncron- Application filed February 12, 1926. Serial No. 87,849.

This invention relates to ornamental lighting, and while the invention may be variously applied, it particularly is designed for use with the decorative lamp sets used on Christmas trees and any other Christmas or namentation. t is desirable and, infact, required, in some places by the insurance underwriters, that the metallic reflectors used with Christmas treesoclrets and lamps be so mounted that there is little or no danger that the reflector will come in contact with the metallic plug of the lamp. If the reflector is carelessly handled it often happens that it forms a short circuit between the tip and shell of the lamp plug, thus causing danger of fire and usually destroying the lamp. While insulating bushings and washers have been proposed for such reflectors, such bushings or washers must be attached to the reflector and thus add greatly to the cost of production.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a structure of Christmas tree lamp units in which a reflector is carried on'the socket, said socket having means for holding the reflector in position thereon.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an electric lamp socket preferably such as used on Christmas trees, either for interior or outside decoration, having a shoulder thereon adj acent its lamp receiving end, andmeans in front of said shoulder for holding areflector in place thereon.

It is still further an object of the invention to provide an electric lamp socket having a shoulder or rib adjacent its lamp-receiving end, together with various means including a threaded portion adjacent said shoulder for holding the reflector thereon. I

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like references refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of a socket having a lamp mounted therein, the reflector being shown on the socket in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the reflector used;

Fig. '3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig.2, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. Gis a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modification; i

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of F ig. 6, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing another modification; and J Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, as indicated by the arrows. Referring to the drawings, particularly Figspl, 2 and 3, a lamp socket 15 is shown having the usualpair of conductors 16 exspectively, to the tip and shell'of said lamp socket. Thesocket 15 is provided with a circumferentially extending projection or rib tending thereto adapted to be connected, re-

15 adjacent its lamp receiving end and has a short portion 15? projecting at the front of the portion 15*, the portion 15 being exteriorly threaded. A lamp 17 is shown as in place in socket 15. A reflector 18 is shown which may be offany desired shape, which reflector has a central opening 18 substantially the diameter of the portion 15 of socket'15. The reflector, preferably, has a notch 18 cut at one side of the hole 18* and the reflector material is displaced laterally at each side of notch 18, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The edge of the material surrounding hole 18*, therefore, being in the form'of a helixf In operation, the reflector is placed centrally of socket15 and the same is screwed onto the threaded portion 15". The helical shape of the edge of the hole 18 assists the reflector in moving onto the portion'15 and gives a clamping effect when the reflector is screwed against the rib 15. The reflector is held quite tightly on the socket and is not loose or readily movable thereon. It will be seen that the reflector is held quite a distance away from the metallic part of the lamp 17 and there is practically no chance of the lamp contacts being short-circulated by the material of the reflector. At the same time, the

reflector is held in very effective position for its reflecting function and there is no inaextending therethrough. A reflector 21 is provided having a central opening 2.1 of suitable diameter to snugly fit on the portion 20 of socket 20.- This reflector has rearwardly extending curved lugs 21 curved so as to fit over the rib 20. The socket 20 is shown as provided with the conductors 22 and the usual lamp 23.

In operation of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the reflector will be placed centraly over the portion 20 of socket 20 and the lugs 21 will be passed through the slots 21 so as to aline with the rib 20. The reflector can then be rotated and the lugs 21* will ride tightly over the rib 20 so that the reflector is held tightly thereon. Said reflector will be held in place by the friction thereof and will not be easily or readily displaced. If desired, the reflector may be made ofresilientmaterial and the lugs 21 may then be sprung over the rib 20" without the use of the notches 20, the reflector being merely snapped into the positionshown in Fig. l. The present Christmas tree sockets have'the rib 20 thereon so that such a reflector as shown in Fig. l can readily be used with standard sockets. V

InFigs. 6 and 7, a socket is shown having the conductors31 and the lamp 32 in place therein. Socket 30 has a circumferentially extending rib 30 and theshort cylindrical or slightly tapered portion 30 in front of said rib. The portion 30 is provided with oppositely disposed projecting lugs 30. While various numbers of said lugs may be used, in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated, two are shown. The reflector 33 used has a central opening 33 of a diameter to fit, over portion 30 and also has cut at opposite sides of said opening, notches 33 of a width to pass over the lugs 30.

In operation of the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the reflector will be placed centrally over the portion 30 with the notches 33 alined with the projections 30. The reflector can thus be passed to the rear of the projections 30 which are spaced from the rib 30. The reflector is then rotated somewhat preferably to a position in which the slots 33 are disposed atninety degrees to the projections 30. Reflector 33 will thus be kept from forward movement and will be securely mounted on socket 230. With the structure shown in Figs. 6 and 7, it will be seen that the distance between projections 30 and 30 can be so proportioned that a reflector turned back of said projections will bind between said projections and said rib 30. This will particularly be true if the reflector is oflset between notches 33 so that the edge of openin r 33 is in the form of a helix.

in Figs. 8 and 9, another form is shown in which reflector e0 has the conductors 41, as usual, as well as the usual lamp 42. Socket 40 has the circumferentially extending rib 40 and the forwardly extending cylindrical portion 40 Portion 40 has, at its outer end, a flange 40 of larger diameter than the portion 40 The flange 40 is provided with a plurality of notches 40 11c ving their botto is substantially flush with the surface of portion 40 Reflector it used has a central opening la from the edge of which project inwardly, tongues 4d, said tongues being spaced similarly to the notches 4E0 and being the same number as said notches. The tongues ii are of a width, such that they will pass through the notches 40 in operation. the reflector 44 will be disposed centra of the portion 40 with tongues td a rned with notches ll. The tongues can thus pass into the rear of flange 20 and, upon a rotative movement of reflector 44:, the tongues will pass out of alinement with notches 40 and back of flange 40. Thereflector lt may be sprung somewhat as shown in Fig. 3, so that it will be frictionally held between flange 40 and rib 40.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient form of lamp socket and reflector, in which the reflector is easily and quickly mounted on the socket in a secure and safe position. The reflectors are easily and quickly installed on the sockets and can be readily removed therefrom. As above stated, reflectors can be much more cheaply made than if an insulating washer were necessary. At the same time, a greater reflecting surface is obtained than if an insulating washer were used.

The invention has been amply tested in actual specimens and found to be very successful and eflicient.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, de tails, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations ofparts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a Christmas tree lamp socket having an and held on said socket against the rear side of said rib With said tongues and notches out of alinement.

2. A device of the class described comprising a Christmas tree lamp socket having a body portion with spaced circumferentially extending ribs adjacent its front end, one

of said ribs having circumferentially spaced notches therethrough, a reflector having a central opening adapted to extend over the body portion of said socket, said reflector having circumferentially spaced tongues extending inwardly from the edge of saidopening adapted to aline with and pass through said notches, the distance from the center of said opening to the inner edge of said tongues being less than the radius of either of said ribs, whereb saidtongues can be brought between sai ribs and the reflector rotated and held on said socket between said ribs.

The structure set forth in claim 2, the edge of the reflector adjacent said opening bein in different planes, whereby the same will contact both of said ribs.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LAMBERT L. RAYMOND. 

